Bedspring construction



S. BLAHA BED SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l l 25 27 yI/zUeH/nr' @gp/ze n Bla/72@ mzw, Mm; @Lw ff MWL offff/S" Aug. 4, 1942. s, BLAHA BED sPRmGfcoNsTRUcT-ION Filed Aug. 2, 1959 2 SheetsfSh'eet 2 M 4 a 21@ u z 3 Ilm www m .uw 2 2 UB y 2 H ,Mn M5 @Y m M n 5 12 4u kB 5 2 M \..m W f 5 M 4 ,w 9 j ou u M1 @u u M @au Z. a n m Patented Aug. 4, 1942 a BEDSPBJN G CONSTRUCTION Stephen Blaha, Chicago, lll., assignor to SuperiorA Felt Bedding Co., Chicago. Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application August 2, 1939, Serial No. 287,885

(ci. s-zss) 6 Claims. The invention relates to bed spring constructions and has Aas its general aim the provision tire top area of the structure than is possible in present structures having the coil springs rather widely spaced from each other.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved spring construction in which the coil springs have a novel staggered relation whereby materially to increase the number of coil springs and provide substantially uniform support over the top surface of the structure.

In conjunction with the foregoing another object is to provide improved means for mounting and securing the coil-springs in place, and for equalizing the stresses applied to the springs, and to provide a novel arrangement of interconnected marginal coil springs to strengthen the edge por# tion of the structure.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of a bed springl construction embodying the it is to be understood that I do not thereby ing tend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit andscope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

One structural embodiment of the invention, as herein illustrated, includes a base or bottom frame member I0 of rectangular shape having a series of longitudinally spaced cross rails II extending transversely of the base frame and rigidly secured to the sides thereof. The cross rails, in

this instance, are narrow, thin members twisted,

as at I2, nearmtheir endsto form short upwardly facing end sections I3 and long intermediateA sections Il having upwardly facing side edges. Each cross rail supports a series of coil springs I5 arranged in spaced relation with the end springs I5* resting on the fiat end sections I3 and the remaining or central springs I5b disposed valong the upper side edge of the intermediate section I4. The set of coil springs I5 are longitudinally and diagonally alined to arrange the springs in a series of squares.

Each end section has a side notch I6 to receive and locate a continuous tie wire I1 which parallels the associated side member of the base frame and passes diametrically across the lower convolutions of the coil springs I5* land intermediately thereof beneath the end sections I3 (see Fig. 2)

At points determined by the location of the central springs I5b on the cross rails the upper edges of said rails are notched, as at I8, to receive crossing strands of diagonal tie wires I9, 20 by which the central springs are secured to the cross rails. in the direction of the diagonal alinement of the coil springs I5', and their ends are hooked or passed through apertures 2| in the twisted portions of the cross rails or, where the wires run to the ends-of the base frame, through apertures 22 therein. The cross rails on each side of the notches I8 have apertures 23 through which the end turn of a coil spring is passed. The tie wires I9, 20 are so arranged that one wire (in this instance the Wire 20) passes beneath and the other wire I9 over the bottom convolution. The coil springs are thus firmly secured to the cross rails. The coil springs at the corners of the frame lare supported on short tie wires 24l extending diagonally across the frame corner. It may be noted that the lower portion of the corner coil spring, as seen in Fig. 2, has for the sake of clarity been omitted.

As mentioned, the springs I5 are arranged in a square pattern, each square being defined by four adjoining springs.l This pattern is generally conventional in present bed spring constructions and presents an upper spring surface which is interrupted by relatively Wide gaps extending lon gitudinally,` transversely and diagonally. According to the present invention the longitudinal and' transverse lines of gaps are eliminated andthe diagonal lines are of substantially less width. To this end a plurality or set of coil springs 28 are arranged in rows which are disposed between the rows of coll springs l5 and the springs 25 are `placedv in staggered relation-to thesprings'Y I5.

AI'Iencell. rowroi' springs extends along each f longitudinal and transverse area between the rows' The diagonal tie wires extend ''of coil springs I5; Each coil spring 25 is supported by the tie wires I9, 20 where they cross at the center of each four-spring square. As shown in Fig. 2 a supporting connection is established by threading the lower end convolution of the spring over and under adjoining portions of the tie wires at their point of intersection.

An upper Aframe 26 formed of angle iron or the like and having substantially the size and shape of the lower frame I is supported in vertically spaced relation to the lower frame by the outer row o'f coil springs I5. Such means as headed rivets 2'I engaging small U-shaped extensions 28 appropriately formed on the upper convolutions of the coil springs may be employed to secure the springs and frame together. The upper convolutions of the outer row of the coil springs I are vjoined to the outer row of the staggered coil springs 25 by substantially unyielding means which connects the two outer rows of springs and the frame together in substantially a laterally unyielding relationship. Thus a strong and practically unitary marginal area is provided. As may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3 each coil spring I5 and 25 in the outer rows of each set has a portion of its upper convolution bent outwardly and laterally to form an elongated U-shaped nose 29 terminating in a downwardly bent hook 33 (Fig. 3) arranged to be engaged over the top convolution of a diagonally adjacent spring. A clip 3i engages the hook and extends beneath the hookengaged convolution and along the length of the nose into engagement with the second or an inner convolution of the nose bearing spring. The clip 3I may be provided in the form of a metal strip as shown with the ends bent back upon itself or in the form of a U-shaped wire with the closed and open ends bent to engage the hook 39 and a convolution of the nose bearing spring. Thus each coil spring I5 or 25 in the two outer rows is connected diagonally with a coil spring 25 or I5 to join the two outer but staggered rows together into a marginal lateral rigidity.

The coil springs are otherwise suitably connected into a spring system by means which equalizes the stresses between associated coil springs. The top convolution of each coil spring I5 is connected longitudinally and transversely with an adjacent coil spring I5 of the same set by small helical springs 32. Thus the helical springs 32 are arranged according to the square pattern of the set of springs I5. Similarly the top convolutions of the coil springs 25 are connected to adjoining coil springs 25 of that set by smallhelical springs 33. The helical springs 32 and 33 cross on longitudinal and transverse lines and the coil springs I5 and 25 which'are connected by the crossing helical springs 32 and 33 form a small square diagonally disposed and comprised of two coil springs of each set.

The spring system is completed by elongated clips 34 whichconnect the springs forming the small squares. These clips 3ft are joined at their ends to convolutions of diagonally adjoining coil unit having substantial 1 springs I5 and 25 intermediate the top and bottom thereof and extend in the diagonal direction of the side lines of thesmall squares. I reerably the clips are only of suiiicient length to extend, between the twosprings to Abe connected thereby vconning the transmission of lateral pull to a few. adjoining springs instead of transmitting *the stressesfthroughout the system as would be the Icase were the clips to extend continuously across the frame. l

In Fig. 4 a modified form of upper frame and spring assembly is shown. In this form the upper frame comprises a border wire 35 instead of the angle member shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At appropriately spaced intervals along the length of the border wire elongated recesses 36 are provided by a millingor like operation. The recesses are dimensioned to receive a part of the spring assembly to be secured tothe border wire. Thus, a part of the upper turn of a coil spring I5 may, as indicated at 3l', be inserted into a recess and a union or connection established by upsetting or distorting marginal portions of the border wire about theinserted part. In some instances it may be desirable to connect a helical spring 33 between each coil spring in the second row and the border wire. For this purpose other recesses 38 like the recesses 35 are provided to receive the ends of a connector 39 having a central U-shaped bend therein. Marginal portions of the border wire are upset or distorted over the ends of the connecter and the outstanding bend provides a loop through which the end of a helical. spring may be hooked. This means for connecting a part of a spring assembly to the border wire is simple, effective and inexpensive.

The spring system which has been provided possesses a number of important features and advantages. The upper or supporting area of the structure is practically a continuous resilient surface of coil springs compactly arranged to provide maximum support. 'I'he system has no longitudinal or transverse lines that are not traversed by springs and the diagonal lines of gaps between springs are so narrow as to have negligible eiect. The arrangement of the auxiliary helical springs 32 and 33 increases the resiliency of the structure primarily along longitu- 1 dinal and transverse lines and the diagonally y arranged individual clips 34 equalize the stresses between diagonally adjoining coil springs.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bed spring construction, the combination of a frame structure including. a base frame member having longitudinally spaced transversely extending cross rails secured thereto, a set of coil springs disposed in spaced relation'on each of said cross rails and arranged in longitudinally alined rows, other coil springs disposed between the rows of springs on the cross rails and between the longitudinal rows of springs, and means for securing said first mentioned coil springs, said cross rails, said means also traversing the gaps between said cross rails for sup'- porting said other coil springs.

2. In a bed spring construction, the combination of a frame structure including a base frame member having a series of regularly spaced transversely extending rails, coil springs seated on said rails, the arrangement of said rails, said tie Wires also crossing between the cross rails and between the longitudinal rows of coil springs, other coil springs secured to said tie wires at the last-mentioned points of crossing, and means for connecting said 'springs into a spring system.

3. In a bed spring construction, the combination of a frame including an upper border member, a plurality of coil springs supported by said frame, the top convolutions of said coil springs and said border member being substantially in the same plane, said springs having an arrangement on said frame that disposes a row of springs immediately adjacent to and extendingv along said border member and positions a second row of springs substantially paralleling the rst row but with the springs thereof in staggered relation to the springs in the rst row, each of the springs in the iirst and second rows having a no se portion bent radially outwardly from the top convolution thereof to span the gap between said top convolution and an upper convolution of a diagonally adjacent'sprin'g, the relationship being such that each of the springs of the second row is diagonally connected with the two adjacent springs of the first row, and a clip connecting said nose portion with an upper convolution of the same spring, said clip and nose portion embracing said upper convolution of said diagonally adjacent spring to secure the connected springs laterally together.

4. A bed spring of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame structure including a base frame member having spaced transversely extending frame members, coil springs seated on certain of said frame members in diagonal alinement in two directions, similarly extending tie members securing said coil springs to such frame members and arranged-to cross between said frame members, and additional coil springs supported by the crossing portions of the tie members between the frame members.

5. A bed spring of the character described cornprising, in combination, a frame structure including a base frame member of generally quadrangular shape, a series of spaced transversely extending rails carried by said frame member, coil springs seated on said rails and arranged in longitudinally and diagonally alined rows, and tie members anchored at least at one of their ends adjacent to the respective ends of said rails and extending in each of said diagonal directions in such relation as to cross and secure the coil springs to said rails, said tie members also crossing between said rails, and other coil springs seated on and secured to said tie members at the points of crossing between the rails.

6. A bed spring of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame structure including cross rails, a plurality of coil springs mounted on said frame structure, said springs being arranged in transversely and longitudinally alined rows and the springs in each row being staggered with respect to the springs in an adjacent row so that the springs are also alined in diagonal rows, tie wires extending in each of said diagonal directions and arranged to cross and secure the lower ends of certain of the coil springs to said cross rails and to cross between said cross rails, other of said coil springs being mounted on said tie wires at the last mentioned points of crossing, connecting clips parallel with said tie wires extending between diagonally related pairs of the coil springs and engaging intermediate convolutions of such springs, and connecters extending between the longitudinally and transversely related pairs, of coil springs and engaging the top convolutions of the latter springs.

STEPHEN BLAHA.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2Q29l,-868- v August 4., 1911.2

STEPHEN BLAHA.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printedcpecificatie: of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page `2, sec

. ond column, line 55,- claim l, for "springs, said 'read springe to said-- and that the said 'liet-teresl Patent shouldbe read withthis correction therein'tha't the samemay conform. to the record of thefceeel inthe Patent Of.

fice. c

signed andeealed this 15th day of septemxmr, A. D. 19M.

Henry Van rsdale, (Seal) I I Acting Commissioner o" Paten 

